Flood warning issued as water levels remain high on the River Tees following Storm Christoph

The warning is a result of heavy rain caused by Storm Christoph, which has been hitting the region since Tuesday, January 19 and is set to be in place for most of Thursday, January 21.

According to Met Office forecasters, the rain has now cleared and sunny spells can be expected as we head into the weekend.

However, high water levels along the River Tees remain and a flood warning has been issued for lower level areas along the river.

Members of the public have warned to avoid using footpaths and roads near to the river.

A statement on the Government’s flood warning website said: “River levels remain high on the Lower River Tees and its estuarine tributaries as a result of heavy rainfall which has fallen since Tuesday 19/01/21.

“Flooding of riverside footpaths, low lying land and roads is expected to continue throughout today, Thursday 21/01/21.

"The heavy rain has now cleared the area but there may be further showers this morning and we expect river levels to remain high until this evening.

"We continue to closely monitor the situation. Our incident response staff are out on the ground checking defences and clearing any blockages from rivers. Phase 1 and 2 closure of Yarm floodgates took place on Tuesday afternoon.

"All Yarm floodgates will be reopened later this afternoon, Thursday 21/01/2021, as river levels fall. Please avoid using low lying footpaths and roads near local watercourses.”

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